mlm59

I am accompanying a group of students and adults, most of whom will be visiting Europe for the first time. We leave June 7 and will be visiting Rome, Florence, Lucerne, Paris & Madrid. After reading many posts on this site and studying travel books there are still several questions/concers are group would like to get advice on.

Restrooms - it appears public restrooms are not as easy to find in Europe as in the US. Where are restrooms usually located? Do restaurants & cafes have public restrooms? Is it okay to use them if you make a purchase?

Drinks - Most of us are accustomed to buying soft drinks or bottled water when we are thirsty. I understand that soft drinks are expensive and bottled water is mineral water, which is probably not something most of us will like. What are our options for finding a drink? I read that in France you can ask for tap water with a meal by asking for Carafe d eau. Is this just available in sit-down restaurants? What about getting tap water in the other countries?

Eating inexpensively - Some of the kids are going to be on a limited budget. Dinner and breakfast is included with our tour, but not sure what type of food will be offered and knowing how picky some kids are they may not like it. Will there be street vendors or inexpensive cafes in all of the places we will visit? What about American fast food restaurants? Are prices comparable to the US? Are soft drinks available?

Inexpensive souveniers - I know everyone will want to buy souveniers, but again budgets are limited. In the US you can often buy souveniers for the area you are visiting at a good price at places like Wal Mart and CVS. Are there such places in Europe where we should look for souveniers?

Phoning home - The tour company offers a phone card that can be recharged and it does have an option for those at home to leave a voice mail. I have looked at phone cards at Wal-Mart but see they have a hefty charge of additional minutes for use at pay phones. Should we just wait until we get to Europe and buy cards in each country at the tobacco shops? I assume calling from pay phones is the most economical choice.

Thanks for all of your advice. Everyone is getting very excited, but some of the group have concerns about the issues I discussed above.

amaclise

1. All the attractions and restaurants you'll visit have restrooms. I suggest you seek them out before leaving whether there is a "need" or not. You can sometimes find them in large hotel lobbies and train stations, but you need to take into consideration the size of your group (which you didn't mention) before crashing a hotel lobby.

2. Many tourist areas have bubbling open drinking water fountains in the public square which are lovely and enjoyed by locals and visitors alike, so keep your empty bottle with you and fill up! There are also any number of shops where you can get a drink. I think the tap water will be just fine as well.

3. In Italy especially, most casual dining establishments have counters where you can stand up and eat, as well as deli-like cases from which you can order your food - such as pizza, pasta or a salad. They are all inexpensive and better than McDonald's (although there are plenty of those as well - which taste just like in the US if your kids are worried).

4. You could try mass merchants for inexpensive souvenirs but those places are on the outskirts of town not near the attractions. I would check out the ground floor of some department stores or the train stations.

5. I would think getting phone cards when you arrive would probably be the easiest.

Good luck and have fun! The people will be as nice to you as you are to them.

kybourbon

Restrooms - Many places you will have to pay to use the restroom. Usually .25 or .50E or there will be an attendant expecting a donation.

Water - You can buy bottled water many places, but pay attention to whether it is still or sparkling(gas)water. Your students can fill a bottle at the hotel each morning and take with them. Some lemonade drink mix companies in the US sell little tubes of lemonade (and other flavors) to put in bottles of water. One tube flavors one bottle of water. Your students might want to buy some of these and take with them if they think they will get tired of just plain water.

You will be in touristy areas and things will be more expensive from vendors, restaurants, and shops in these areas. If possible, shop a few blocks off the main piazza or find a supermarket.

Meals will depend on your tour company, if you are using one. The more upscale, expensive tour, the better the food and hotel location. If you are using a budget student tour company, then breakfast will be continental - bread, coffee and perhaps juice. Dinners on budget tours won't offer choices and will be geared towards teenagers. The tour company will include water with dinner, but usually not other drinks.

Have your kids take a few packs of nabs (in a crushproof container) for the night when they hate the dinner and there is nowhere else in the area to get food.

Buy international phone cards in Europe as it seems like the rates are better than on the cards purchased in the states. Most kids will prefer to use an internet cafe and e-mail or IM friends back home. With the time difference, it's easier to e-mail than make phone calls.

Have each person give you a copy of their passport and leave another one with the contact person back home. Give everyone in your group the name, address and phone number of your hotel, in case they get lost from the group. Make sure they have this each time they leave the hotel.

nytraveler

I would stay away from McDonalds and other american chains in europe - the kids will be in sticker shock - esp if you're from a small town (price will be double, sodas tiny and expensive). You're better off with either a street stand, a pizzeria, a small modest cafe, or a sandwich shop (which you can find even in Italy).



Soft drinks are VERY expensive vs the US, are very small and there are no free refills. Get the kids used to drinking water - they all taste slightly different - but you can always get carbonated or not and they're MUCH less than soda. (and much of the bottled water in the US is mineral water too - we just call it water - unless you're talking about the flavored waters - which they would charge like sodas.) If the kids are old enough (16) - they would even be better with beer or wine than soda. If you want they can carry water bottles and refill in the hotels - fine if you do picnics - but if you walk into a cafe and all start drinking your own bottled water they may get grouchy.

Almost all cafes etc have restrooms - but you need to buy something - not 1 coffee and 16 people use the restroom. You should use the public ones in the sites you visit every time you get a chance. (You should be aware that in some older places the restrooms are unisex - and the men's rooms sometimes have older female attendants.)

Can't answer for souvenirs - this is an urge I have never had. If I see something local I really like I will buy it - but no plastic Eiffel Towers. Photos make much better souvenirs. Encourage kids to bring their cameras and when they get home they can put together albums to email to others - or you may want to set up a site for all to show their albums.

ira

ttt

mlm59

Thanks to all of you who have been so helpful with your replies. I will share this info with our group.

The idea of restroom attendants may be especially surprising to the young men. None of the adult chaperones are men so I want to prepare the male students in our group.

While beer and wine may be the most affordable choice for drinks, it is not an option. Two of the chaperones are teachers and they have already told all of the students that while drinking alcohol may be legal for 16 year olds in Europe, it is illegal in the US and therefore off limits to them.

I assume it would be a good idea for everyone to take a couple of water bottles with them to fill each day either at the hotel or public fountains. My daughter buys the Crystal Light in packages and uses them to flavor her bottles of water. She will share that idea with others.

I will let them know about the water situation. It is my understanding that we should not ask for sparkling water if we have to purchase water.

Thanks for the info on American fast food restaurants. Yes, we are from a small town and I'm sure the kids would be shocked to pay twice as much or more for food they buy in the US. We have tried to educate them on the cost of things in Euros versus what it costs in US dollars. We hope they understand and don't run out of money. Most of the parents have put a specified amount of money in an account that the kids can access with an ATM card.

Thanks for the info on the phone cards. I have checked rates with the phone card offered by the tour company and am amazed at the difference in rates. For instance, in Italy the price for Milan economy is 9 cents a minute. The other number for calling from Italy is an 800 number that costs 49 cents a minute. I don't understand the difference in price. Perhaps one of you can explain it to me. Will the cards we buy in Italy allow us to make calls at a lower rate? If so, must we have Euro coins to use pay phones?

Again, thanks for all of the advice and suggestions. Hope some of you can provide me with a few more answers.

suze

For public toilets you may sometimes need to have small change, because there is a fee. In cafes where you have purchased something you will always find restrooms available.

Another option besides fast food are bakeries, where you can find pre-made sandwiches to take out. Or street foods, crepes and 'hot dogs' in Paris are excellent.

Look for inexpensive souveniers at places like large grocery stores (Monoprix in Paris, for example) or train stations, newspaper stands, pharmacies, etc. Be creative, a coworker brought everyone at our office tiny scented soaps in pretty french wrapping.

suze

If there is a small group together, when lunch-time comes consider grocery stores. A loaf of bread, chunk of cheese, fruit, package of cookies, shared around would be inexpensive and not too weird.

enzian

From your itinerary, I will assume you will be visiting musuems---you can always find restrooms there.

Phones---I don't know about Italy, but in Switzerland it is very easy and inexpensive to use a VISA card right in the SwissCom phone (or you can buy a 5-CHF phone card). Either way, the phone has a display that shows what you are being charged. Most of my calls to the US last summer were around 2.40 CHF.

Lunches---as mentioned, grocery stores are the best bet. They can buy yogurt, cheese, bread, and all kinds of wonderful snacks---the kids will quickly figure out which ones they like. Also, many bakeries (in France and Switzerland) and "bars" (in Italy) have sandwiches made up for "grab and go". Soft drinks purchased in the grocery store are not outrageous in price, but the European ones (Orangina, etc.) are much more reasonable (and much better, my daughters decided).

nytraveler

Don;t know what your schedule/travel method looks like. But one of the first things we do in europe is go to a large grocery to buy some snacks/treats and large bottles of soda (I can only drink de-caf and that's practically impossible to get except in the supermarket).

And we're not traveling on a budget - this just makes life easier. We always stay in hotels with 24 hour room service and mini-bars - but if I want soda at midnight don;t want to bother room service - never mind pay $10 - and not get de-caf.

But we travel by car - so it's not an issue to haul all this around with us.

hausfrau

Some more thoughts...

Restrooms - it would definitely be considered rude to use a restroom at a restaurant or hotel where you are not a guest. You will find restrooms aplenty at all major tourist attractions, but definitely make sure everyone has some change for the attendant. Sometimes it is a required fee and sometimes it is a tip, but if there is a person there, you will need to put some change in their bowl or box. Usually 30-50 cents. It is also not uncommon to have a MALE attendant in the women's restroom! (But they are usually outside of the room with the stalls.) Your students may also find it amusing to try out the automated self-cleaning toilets found in many European cities.

Drinks - If anyone does not like carbonated water, they need to learn how to say "without gas" in all the countries you are visiting. Typically, "mineral water" means carbonated, but if you ask for it "without gas" you will get bottled still water. This is preferable to asking for tap water, which is seen as unhealthy by many Europeans (even though it is perfectly safe to drink). But yes, "un caraf d'eau" will get you a pitcher of tap water in France.

Eating - I agree with the other posters that there are many ways to eat inexpensively - buying bread, cheese, cookies, fruit, etc. at grocery stores, and by going to snack stands. You've probably heard this many times before, but the most important thing to remember for Americans visiting Europe for the first time is that you are visiting another culture, and this is your opportunity to immerse yourself in that culture. Try not to go to McDonalds if you can possibly avoid it. You can get a great ham and cheese sandwich at a street stand in Paris or a slice of pizza in Rome for less than the price of a Big Mac. Soft drinks are available everywhere, just expect to pay closer to $1 for a can or bottle of Coke. Also note that many products taste a little different than their U.S. counterparts (e.g. "Coca Cola light" = Diet Coke but does not taste quite the same!). And if you order water or a soda in a restaurant, it will NOT come with ice. For some reason very cold drinks are also considered unhealthy by many Europeans!

You didn't mention smoking, but be forewarned that many restaurants allow smoking and may not have a designated non-smoking area (or if they do, it is merely "one side of the room" with no partition). If this is a problem, try to eat outside as much as possible.

Souvenirs - I used to collect key chains and magnets as a teenager. Most tourist attractions will have gift shops with inexpensive souvenirs like these. You will definitely have trouble finding the equivalent of CVS or WalMart in the middle of a European city. The French soap idea is great for female friends back home. Chocolates or other local candies are also appreciated!

I don't know much about the phone situation but it sounds like the cards the tour company is offering are your best bet. Also find out how to make a credit card call via AT&T, so you can make a call from a hotel if needed. I've heard that some public pay phones in Europe don't take coins anymore, only a prepaid phone card. There are internet cafes sprouting up everywhere these days, so that is also a good suggestion and much cheaper.

Tell the kids to have open minds, and enjoy your trip!

Midnightsun

A great place for inexpensive (and unusual) souvenirs would be a street market, and you can certainly find these in Rome. Madrid, and Florence. These are not to be confused with the street vendors right outside museums who are usually selling the same things you can buy in the museum gift shops, and not necessarily at a lower price. There is one street market a hundred yards away from the Vatican wall (side with the museum entrance) that sells a variety of inexpensive goods for local consumers and small items that would be good souvenirs. You will, however, probably need to consult with your students to make sure they are not buying items mass produced in China that could be found in dollar stores back in the states.

I'd definitely second the recommendation about take out sandwiches from bakeries. You can get a fair variety for about 2,50 Euro or so. If some of the choices seem exotic, there's almost always bound to be a good old standby like ham and cheese, generally fresher (and certainly with better bread) than in 7-Elevens in the U.S. The gelato in Italy (2 to 3 Euros per cone) will win some adherents; the fruit flavors are especially fine.

Museum restrooms tend to be the best choice, but women should be advised that they may find some to be of the squat variety. Some of those were clean and modern, but they were, as I recall, just about all in small towns. Also you will find many unisex bathrooms in the restaurants, sometimes with a small antechamber for washing. The stalls, however, are just about all equiped with floor to ceiling doors. However, don't be too surprised if you exit to wash your hands and find someone of the opposite sex waiting for the facilities. Continuing on slightly indelicate topics, if you can tolerate the taste of mineral water (it's really not too different than what's available here), it does a great job of getting all the internal plumbing going, and that's sometimes a problem for folks after a long plane ride and time zone shift. Have a great time!

pdx

Because you will be packing up and traveling from place to place you might consider advising your group not to shop for bulky souvenirs that will be hauled all over Europe on your back or shoulder. One of our favorite souvenir forays is the grocery store right before we leave. Cookies, coffee, hard cheeses and candies are all fun to buy and give.

moldyhotelsaregross

I would suggest getting together after the trip and do a photo swap. If the kids are traveling with digital photos, it would be great if they burned a cd for each other.

I was given a gift of a photo album made with www.mypublisher.com after a recent trip. The best photos were collected and assembled into a terrific album for less than $40. They have less expensive options that start at around $10 but they are smaller and less durable.

I always pack a poster tube (fits in my suitcase) with me so that I can bring posters home easily. I've never come home with it empty, but it could work for packing socks in a pinch!

moldyhotelsaregross

Oh - always the worry wart I am. Did you check to make sure that none of the kids have food allergies? I found out in Europe that I am allergic to goat cheese the hard way!

I do make sure to learn the phrase "I am allergic to ___" for all my allergens in each language necessary.

lucy_d

Another good idea is to make sure all the kids (and adults) pick up a business card from the hotel. In case someone gets separated from the group, he or she will have the address and phone number readily available. Sometimes, the note pads in the rooms have the addresses printed on them, too. You could tear off a sheet and give to each kid. Have a great trip!